minnesota recreation & park magazine winter 2016

www.mnrpa.orgwww.mnrpa.orgwww.mnrpa.org

University Highlights

Minnesota State University, Mankato;

University of Minnesota; Winona State University







WHEN DISASTER STRIKES Strategies for Emergency Planning



MRPA Organizes First-Ever Triathlon



MINNESOTAMINNESOTAMINNESOTAOfficial Publication of Minnesota Recreation and Park AssociationOfficial Publication of Minnesota Recreation and Park AssociationOfficial Publication of Minnesota Recreation and Park Association

Recreation and ParksRecreation and ParksRecreation and ParksRecreation and ParksVolume 11, Issue 1 • Winter 2016

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Winter 2016 • MINNESOTA Recreation and Parks 3

PublisherMinnesota Recreation and Park Association200 Charles Street NE, Fridley, MN 55432www.mnrpa.org Tel: 763.571.1305

Editorial StaffMichelle J. Snider

Bethani Gerhard

Editorial BoardPatty Anderson, Maple Grove

Jan Ficken, Brooklyn Park

Jennifer Fink, Ramsey County

Chad Ubl, Winona

Heidi Sedlacek, New Brighton

Advertising & DesignPernsteiner Creative Group, pernsteiner.com

MRPA Board of DirectorsPresident: Jay Lotthammer, Eden PrairiePresident-Elect: Mary Jo Knudson, Owatonna Past President: Mary Pat Black, Brooklyn ParkSecretary: Aimee Peterson, ChaskaTreasurer: Randy Distad, FarmingtonRSC Chair: Jerry Ruegemer, ChanhassenEast Metro: Garrett Beck, BurnsvilleEast Metro: Jared Flewellen, EaganEast Metro: Margo Numedahl, FridleyNortheast Region: Jamie Cassidy, BeckerNorthwest Region: Dolf Moon, HutchinsonSouthern Region: Kim Underwood, AustinWest Metro: Jamie Polley, ShakopeeWest Metro: Michelle Margo, Brooklyn ParkWest Metro: John Stutzman, Bloomington

This magazine is the official quarterly publication of Minnesota Recreation and Park Association and is provided complimentary to members as part of their MRPA membership. The editorial board encourages the submission of articles and photos for publication. Articles of approximately 500-700 words or less may be submitted, but may be edited for length and clarity. Contact Michelle Snider, MRPA, at 763.571.1305 x100 if interested in submitting an article for a future issue.

Deadlines for Articles and AdvertisingSpring 2016 Issue ......................... February 28Summer 2016 issue ...............................May 13Fall 2016 issue ........................................July 30 Winter 2017 issue ...................... November 14

MRPA reserves the right to approve all submitted advertising in MINNESOTA Recreation and Parks magazine. All requests for advertising should be made to Todd Pernsteiner, Account Manager, at 952.841.1111 or [email protected].

An affiliate of National Recreation and Park Association

MINNESOTARecreation and Parks

FROM THE BOARD PRESIDENT

By Jay Lotthammer, MRPA President

There’s a lot that happens during the course of a year. In my experiences, reflecting is not something people in our profession do very often. We seem to always be planning ahead or getting ready for that next event. So when I do stop and think about 2015, it’s pretty amazing how many things have been accomplished through the MRPA. In the role of president, I’ve also been able to hear more about the quality work and accomplishments of our members and their organizations.

I continue to feel fortunate to be part of a professional organization that is able to provide support on an individual, local and state-wide level. We are also a member driven organization fortunate to have professional staff members who work on our behalf on a daily basis. This state-wide “um-brella” continues to benefit us all; sometimes in ways we’ve yet to realize or appreciate. In addition to enhancing the standing of our profession, MRPA organized and sponsored activities like ERLI, ERLI – 2, the annual confer-ence and the trainings to help us learn and grow as individuals.

Every year, people leave our profession and new people enter. We are a group of professionals who know how to celebrate those who have spent years contributing and welcome those who are just getting started. This past year, one of the people who retired is Mary Pat Black. There’s no question Mary Pat has made a lasting impact on our profession. Mary Pat has been a co-worker, mentor and friend to me over the years. I will miss seeing her and calling her for advice. I want to congratulate those who have moved on to the next chapter of their life and welcome those who are just joining our profession.

Hopefully you’ve been able to participate in the many trainings, conferenc-es and networking events. The 2015 MRPA Annual Conference was amazing. There are many people to thank and congratulate. One of the ways that we as a group of professionals express our thanks and admiration is by attend-ing and supporting each other at the Annual General Meeting and Awards Ceremony. Thanks for helping the MRPA remain strong and vibrant over this past year.

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4 MINNESOTA Recreation and Parks • www.mnrpa.org

TABLE OF CONTENTS From the Board President ........................................................................................... 3

Foundation Corner ....................................................................................................... 5

Keeping Up .................................................................................................................... 6

MRPA in Action ............................................................................................................. 8

Meet Nicole Gorman.................................................................................................... 7

University of Minnesota Ever-Evolving Curriculum ................................................ 10

Winona State University’s Curriculum Highlights .................................................. 11

Minnesota State University, Mankato ...................................................................... 13

MRPA Organizes First-Ever Triathlon ....................................................................... 15

Is Your Organization Prepared for an Emergency? ................................................ 17

Are You Prepared? ...................................................................................................... 18

Preparing for the Unthinkable................................................................................... 19

MRPA Flashback .......................................................................................... Back Cover

Park & Trail System Plan

Park Master Plan

Park Design

Funding & Implementation

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Minnesota Recreation and Park Foundation: As 2015 comes to a close, MRPF looks forward to 2016

Minnesota Recreation and Park Foundation is always looking for new ways to support our members in the recreation profession. We are excited about the upcoming programs and initiatives in 2016! If you haven’t already make sure to pick up your new MRPF membership pin and watch for the latest addition of the MRPF Insider Newsletter. Looking for networking opportunities? Join us for the lawn bowling, golf tournament, or continuing education events. Need financial support? Check out the National Professional Development Grant, New Initiative Grants, or Graduate Student scholarship for professionals.

To ensure the continued success of initiatives like these, MRPF is guided by the Board of Trustees who provide the direction for our educational and networking opportunities, programs, grants, student and continuing education scholarships, and the continued support of the Minnesota Recreation and Park Association. For more information regarding MRPF’s programs and initiatives please contact MRPF President Nate Rosa at [email protected].

It’s a great time to renew your membership for 2016, or join MRPF for the first time…

For $25 (retirees $20, students $10) you can become a member of the Minnesota Recreation and Park Foundation, the only non-profit organization solely dedicated to promoting excellence in the parks and recreation profession. To register for your MRPF membership or to renew your current membership and be eligible for the MRPF benefits visit http://www.mnrpa.org/mrpf or contact Nicole Gorman at [email protected] for more information.

2015 MRPA and MRPF Annual General Meeting

The MRPF and MRPA Annual General Meetings and Awards Luncheon was held on January 14 in Roseville. Following the annual meeting, MRPF and our sponsors awarded two, $1,000, student scholarships to students from Minnesota State University, Mankato: Scott Heitkamp and the University of Minnesota: Laura Stigen. Thank you to scholarship sponsor partners: Fran Callahan Memorial and Hiway Federal Credit Union. MRPF Board of Trustee Corky Ebeling was awarded MRPA’s highest honor as he was presented with the Clifton E. French Distinguished Service Award. Congratulations Corky!

2016 New Initiative Grants Awarded

Each year MRPF awards financial support to several members’ organizations who are working to develop new and inno-vative programs. For the 2016 grants the Foundation received four applications for the MRPF New Initiative Grants. This year we awarded financial assistance to two organizations totaling $2,700 in financial assistance. Congratulations to the following organizations and projects that were awarded a grant: the cities of Bloomington and Richfield Parks and Recreation departments and their collaborative adult spikeball league and the city of Inver Grove Heights for a log rolling apparatus which will be used for their Rec & Roll Log Rolling program.

MRPF National Professional Development Grant

MRPF strongly believes significant benefits are gained when recreation professionals attend national training opportunities. For this reason, we are excited to introduce an annual grant which is intended to inspire and expand the participation of Minnesota recreation professionals who would not otherwise have the opportunity to develop their leadership and experience the benefits and professional growth which is connected to attending a national conference or seminar. This grant will be in the amount of $1,000 and is to be used for conference registration, travel arrangements or lodging. Detailed infor-mation coming soon.

MRPF Student Scholarship Recipients: Where are they now?

Dan Lauer: 1996 Recipient

Dan completed his business administration undergraduate degree at Mankato State University and proceeded to pursue a master’s degree in recreation at the University of

Minnesota. While completing his master’s program, Dan the received the 1996 MRPF student scholarship. As he pursued gainful employment opportunities and attended school, Dan worked a variety of part-time jobs for serval different organizations including St. Louis Park and Fridley Parks and Recreation departments, the Southdale YMCA and Eden Prairie Schools. In 1998, he was hired as a full-time recreation programmer for the City of St. Louis Park. Then in 2000, Dan made the move to Plymouth Parks and Recreation where he was hired as a program coordinator. He continues his work in Plymouth today as a recreation supervisor.

FOUNDATION CORNER

Minnesota Recreation and Park Foundation Updatesby John Stutzman, City of Bloomington


Mary Pat Black, facility and services manager for Brooklyn Park Recreation and Parks, retired the end of December, 2015 after 30 years in the parks and recreation profession. She chose recreation as a major at Winona State while enrolled in the nursing program, and working for Dr. Gary Grub, a professor in the health and recreation department. “I wanted a career helping people have a better life,” says Black. “But after two years in the nursing program, I didn’t like the sickness part. Dr. Grub suggested I look into recreation administration and how that profession makes peoples’ lives better. I changed my major that spring and have never regretted it!”

After college, Black worked in the field of therapeutic recreation at nursing homes in Stillwater, Spring Park and Woodbury for eight years. She was hired by the City of Roseville in 1985 as the senior coordinator, and one year later was promoted to recreation superintendent. “I worked with my best friend and colleague, Jody Yungers,” she states. “After working there for eight years, I took a position with the City of Brooklyn Park as the community center manager.” According to Black, it was Jan Ficken who encouraged her to apply for the Brooklyn Park position in 1993. Ficken still works for Brooklyn Park Recreation and Parks. “I worked with some great people in Brooklyn Park over the past 22 years: Jan Ficken, Denny Palm, Mike Basset, Linda St. John, Jay Lothammer, Jamie Cassidy,

and many more,” she says.

Black became involved with MRPA in 1985, starting with the programming section and the Recreational Sports Commission (RSC). She also hosted volleyball and Minnesota USSSA state tournaments, served as the MRPA annual conference chair and exhibit hall chair, was a part of the logistics and education committees, and much more. “It was always important for me to be involved in our professional organization,” says Black. “Both Roseville and Brooklyn Park encouraged and supported that involvement. Everyone I worked with was involved in MRPA. I have gained many long-lasting friends from all over the state. I have also gained great knowledge from the many education opportunities.”

Black adds she has developed leadership skills and confidence through MRPA by chairing committees, running tournaments, and serving on the Board of Directors. She was an east metro representative on the MRPA Board of directors from 1992-1993, and the Board president in 2014.

“I received great support from colleagues in my career;” says Black, “Dick Yates, Jan Ficken, Bob Kojetin, Harvey Feldman, Lonnie Brokke, Clif French, and so many more. I developed a lot of pride in watching young professionals grow into mature, seasoned professionals: Michelle Margo, Greg Hoag, Garrett Beck, Susie Odegard, Cindy Walsh, Tracy Peterson, Lisa Abernathy, Emily Wolfe, Tammy Abrahamson, and many more. I developed bonds with fellow peers; Jody Yungers, Jan Ficken, Mark Peterson, Pauline Staples, Mike Polehna, to name a few, that will never be broken. Without all this, I couldn’t have accomplished all I did over the years. MRPA played a huge part in my career and I’ll forever be grateful.”

At the 48th USSSA Annual National Convention, Mark Dallenbach was awarded the 2015 USSSA Official of the Year in slow-pitch softball. Dallenbach, from Farmington, began his softball career as a player, manager and then became an umpire for USSSA. Dallenbach became area umpire-in-chief for MRPA/MN-USSSA tournaments and continues to serve in this role today.

“As state director, I feel this is important to our program in Minnesota and to the directors, umpires, and teams,” states Troy Mickelson, USSSSA state director. “Without the tremendous support of the directors from Minnesota, Mark would not be receiving any awards or recognition. Mark has surrounded himself with USSSA professionals such as other state directors and UICs, National UICs, and executive vice presidents so that he can use their wisdom and experience to make the USSSA softball program for Minnesota one of the best in the nation.”

Dallenbach has served and umpired many leagues, conferences, state, national, and world tournaments. He attends USSSA umpire clinics and serves as a mentor to the rookie and veteran umpires. When Dallenbach isn’t umpiring, he still finds his way out to tournaments to assist in fundraising to help other fellow umpires so they can experience umpiring Worlds down in Florida. He was recently inducted into the 21st Annual Minnesota USSSA Hall of Fame as a member of the umpire category.

Mary Pat Black Retires after 30 years in Parks and Recreation

Mark Dallenbach Awarded 2015 USSSA Official of the Year

KEEPING UP

< Meet Nicole Gorman

Recreation has always played an integral role in Nicole Gorman’s life. She says she didn’t originally see herself working in the field, but she is glad her path has led her to where she is today. She is currently a recreation supervisor with the city of Farmington.

“Many times it has provided an escape from the chaos that is life,” Gorman adds. “I thoroughly enjoy the work I do and working with people.”

Gorman started working in parks and recreation when she was 15 as a lifeguard at the YMCA. During college, she was also a lifeguard and taught swimming lessons. “I also started volunteering at the local assisted living in town,” says Gorman. “After a week of volunteering, the housing manager approached me to apply to be an activities assistant and she hired me on the spot; thus starting my career working with senior citizens.”

After graduating with a bachelor’s degree, she was offered her first full-time position working at an assisted living facility as an activities director. “This job led to another senior housing opportunity in Eden Prairie which provided a chance to partner with the Eden Prairie Senior Center,” says Gorman. “Their director encouraged me to apply for the Minnetonka Senior Services position. I worked there for seven and a half years. While in Minnetonka, I was able to gain many insights of what it is truly like working in the field of recreation, such as taking on warming houses. While there, I also obtained my master’s degree in park and recreation administration.”

Gorman has been a member of MRPA since 2006. She says that it wasn’t until 2012, when MRPA and the Minnesota Association of Senior Services (MASS) entered into a partnership, that she really started to become involved. She has been the MRPA and MASS partnership liaison since 2012. She is currently the 2016 MRPA Annual Conference co-chair. She also served on the 2013 and 2014 Annual Conference committee. 2015 was a big year for Nicole. Not only was she the MRPF membership chair, but she also was on the summer leadership workshop committee, participant in the ERLI 2 program, and the MASS liaison for the National Council on Aging/MRPA Aging Mastery Program advisory committee.

“Throughout my time as a member I have gained invaluable experience and connections,” states Gorman. “I am grateful for the relationships that have formed through MRPA by attending conferences, program section meetings as well as serving on a variety of committees.”

MRPA members are the heart of our organization. They are involved and committed to advancing the parks and recreation programming. MRPA in Action is a new magazine feature which will highlight one section/committee and one professional per issue.

“Keeping Up” is a feature highlighting MRPA member events, news, people and more. To contribute to this section, please send a 125 word or less brief and photos to Michelle Snider at MRPA ([email protected]).

New Brighton Parks and Recreation’s Read To Play program received a 2015 Local Government Innovation award from the Humphrey School of Public Affairs at the University of Minnesota. Read To Play is among 24 diverse projects recognized for showing creativity and innovation in redesigning how they do business. The awards are organized in partnership with the Bush Foundation and co-sponsored by the League of Minnesota Cities, the Association of Minnesota Counties, Minnesota Association of Townships, and the Minnesota School Board Association.

Read To Play reading incentive program was started in 2011 by New Brighton Parks and Recreation. The goal is to inspire youth in local schools to exercise their mind and bodies through reading and playing. Participating teachers receive certificates to the Eagle Nest Indoor Playground to distribute to students who reach their reading goal. In 2013, Read To Play added a library component to encourage children to visit the Ramsey County Library New Brighton Branch, located in the New Brighton Community Center.

All 24 awardees were recognized at an awards ceremony on December 10, 2015. The overall winners of each category received a $5,000 grant from the Bush Foundation to continue their work and a professionally produced video to use for marketing and awareness.

New Brighton Parks and Recreation Receives a 2015 Local Government



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MRPA IN ACTION

Bridges Out of Poverty Thirty-two participants attended the Bridges Out of Poverty workshop on November 20 at the Keller Golf Course clubhouse. This workshop was a comprehensive approach to understanding the dynamics that cause and maintain poverty from the individual to the systemic level. Throughout the workshop, attendees received specific strategies for improving outcomes for people living in poverty, with the focus of the workshop providing a broad overview of concepts.

Jodi Pfarr was the dynamic presenter that not only brought her knowledge gained from direct experience with not-for-profit organizations, but her experience as a certified critical debriefer and chaplain with the Saint Paul Police Department. She has advised several city and county agencies on projects related to poverty.

MRPA extends a special thank you to Michelle Margo with Brooklyn Park Recreation and Parks for organizing this workshop, and to Ramsey County Parks for hosting. MRPA is also grateful for the support of the workshop sponsor, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Center for Prevention.

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By Connie Magnuson, University of Minnesota

The curriculum at the University of Minnesota continues to evolve and move forward to keep pace with an ever-changing field. Top industry professionals and faculty bring current issues, challenges and relevancy to the classroom. Core courses in recreation provide a solid foundation of transferable skills that will move students in many career paths.

Students customize their program with focus electives that allow them to gain knowledge in a specific area of study. They may choose to focus on outdoor recreation, business and marketing, youth studies, public policy, organizational leadership, horticulture therapy, history, coaching, sports management, event planning, tourism, natural resources, and the list goes on. The program culminates with a nine-credit internship. This in-depth experience allows students to become fully engaged in the work environment under the supervision and mentorship of a professional in the recreation field.

Outdoor recreation at the University of Minnesota has been a focus area for many, many years. In 2013, it became an outdoor recreation and education minor. The program is offered as an immersion semester with all of the courses available in spring so students are able to complete the minor in one semester thereby creating a cohort of students that are completely engaged in the outdoor recreation experience. Students have the opportunity to travel abroad to Belize or Costa Rica and then continue on with a progressive and comprehensive curriculum that builds from outdoor recreation programming, outdoor skills, recreation land policy, to the final course in

outdoor recreation leadership that takes place in the Apostle Islands. Students are also able to complete a project based directed study to gain hands-on field experience with one of our agency partners. This program format allows for non-U of M students to register for one semester and complete the entire minor.

Unique partnerships allow students to collaborate with numerous agencies in the region. For example, Wilderness Inquiry teaches students to operate outdoor clubs in the Twin City schools to encourage healthy activities and help address achievement gap issues. Three Rivers Park District allows students to work with staff in an exclusive learning situation planning some of their major events.

Our Winter Sports and Adventure program partners with the Center for Outdoor Adventure on campus, Three Rivers Park District and YMCA Camp Menogyn to bring international students to Minnesota for the month of January where they participate in 18 different sports and activities. U of M students act as hosts, leaders and mentors.

New to our program is a Place Based Education course open to all University students and also simultaneously offered to professionals in education, teachers, administrators and others for graduate credit for those wanting to shake up their curriculum and introduce the outdoors as a platform (“place”) for teaching any subject.

University of Minnesota Ever-Evolving Curriculum



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By Begum Aybar Damali, PhD, Winona State University

Winona State University’sRecreation Tourism and Therapeutic Recreation Curriculum Highlights

A few highlights from Winona State University:

• Previously we did not have a core.

• We had two degrees where every student had to take every proscribed class.

• We pulled the essential classes into the core and both RT (Recreation and Tourism) and TR (Therapeutic Recreation) must take them.

In RT: We have changed to the core and four specializationareas. These specialty areas are:

• Commercial Recreation

• Nature-based Tourism

• Inclusive Recreation

• Community/Nonprofit Recreation

• RT students do the core and then choose between the specialty areas listed above. Each specialty area requires five RTTR classes related to the specialty and then the advisor and student agree on another five classes from around the university or within RTTR. This allows the specialty area to be customized. This also allows students who are transferring into the department to use some of their previously earned credits.

• In TR: The students completing the therapeutic rec-reation track are qualified to sit for the National Council for Therapeutic Recreation Certification (NCTRC) examination. The NCTRC class requirements have not changed much, the expectations of NCTRC and our TR track requirements, including the internship standards, have been consistent. We cannot change the TR track classes if we want our students to get certified.

• We have added the requirement of “Web Technology.”

• We have added a “Leisure Education” course to the core.

Currently, RTTR core includes the classes listed below:

• Recreational programming

• Foundations of recreation and leisure studies

• Outdoor pursuits (OR) Leisure Education

• Therapeutic recreation and services

• Organization and administration of recreation

• Evaluation in RTTR

• Practicum (100 hours)

• Internship (TR: 600 hours / RT: 480/600 hours)

• Recreational leadership

• Recreation facilities and area design


Connection to other programs at WSU:

• WSU “Sustainability” and “Gerontology” minors (not offered by RTTR): both of them are quite new and are open to all majors. Several RTTR classes support these areas, and students who are not majoring in RT/TR have an opportunity to get exposed to RTTR curriculum.

• Sustainability Minor (educates through interdisciplinary set of classes): One of our classes (RTTR 244: Stewardship of self and the environment: Building a principled way of life) is required for this minor. Students can choose to take other RTTR courses as electives as well.

• Gerontology Minor (offered through the department of Sociology): One of our classes (RTTR 332: Leisure and Aging in The-rapeutic Recreation) is listed among the approved elective classes.

• WSU General Education Program (GEP): GEP has 10 goal areas. Three of our classes are listed among those classes fulfilling goal number nine content area (physical development and wellness). These classes are:

• RTTR 239 Outdoor Pursuits

• RTTR 246 Leisure Education

• RTTR 144 Contemporary Activities (content varies depending on the semester)

• WSU GEP Intensive course requirement: According to GEP, all students must complete intensive courses in oral communication, writing, and math/critical analysis. Our curriculum includes four intensive courses (all are in our core)

• RTTR 393 Evaluation in RTTR (Math-Statistics / Critical analysis intensive)

• RTTR 326 Organization and Administration of Recreation (writing intensive)

• RTTR 426 Recreation Facilities and Area Design (Writing intensive)

• RTTR 414 Recreational Leadership (Oral intensive)

Recent created:

• “Outdoor Education and Recreation Center” (OERC):

• Only three and a half years old.

• Two full time employees (one director and one assistant director), one graduate assistant, 26 employees (undergraduate student assistants).

• It offers a 6000sq ft indoor climbing facility (with 32 ropes, two 14 ft bouldering walls with “top out” bouldering, belay ledge, and a traditional anchor training wall), covering three walls of a basketball court, made in Bulgaria and was installed in about 20 days by four Bulgarian professionals.

• It offers equipment rental (it has a rental center with inexpensive outdoor equipment rentals for students but the community can also rent the equipments) and educational programs (offers outdoor trips, numerous outdoor education certification courses, as well as customized group facilitation programs.)

• WSU has been a laptop university for about 16 years. Every student gets issued with a new laptop every two years. There is now, no place on campus where a student cannot have access to WIFI, including out of doors.

• “Integrated Wellness Center” (IWC):

• Only three years old.

• It has the standard courts, fitness areas, aerobic rooms, running track, offices for doctors and counsellors, and a pharmacy that fulfills prescriptions.

• All health issues can be addressed there.

Photo by Eric Barnard


By Drs. Burk, Ceurvorst and Montandon

Academia has always faced the issue with students of making sure they are prepared as young professionals to enter the field of parks and recreation. In order to do this, we have to balance coursework with practical application of skills.

In the Recreation Parks and Leisure Services (RPLA) department at Minnesota State University, Mankato we looked at our curriculum and made some changes in the past five years. Some were department-based changes on curriculum, while others were course specific changes by faculty to provide students with hands- on experiences that they can take with them when they graduate.

During our administration course, students are asked to complete a survey of their overall experiences in the department, and MSU Mankato for their entire education process. The administration course was chosen because it is a core course that all majors and minors are required to take, usually in the last semester of the program. After completing the survey, faculty discuss the information the students have provided during a staff meeting.

Five years ago, students recommended more distinction between emphasis areas. MSU Mankato has three emphasis areas - Leisure Planning Management (LPM), Resource Management (RM) and Therapeutic Recreation (TR). TR had a very distinctive track with no overlapping courses with the other two areas. With LPM and RM, you could take two extra courses and complete both emphasis areas. As a faculty we looked at the curriculum and made changes. We moved courses to specific emphasis areas, and developed three courses to enhance the core and emphasis area curriculum.

In the core area, we added RPLS 302, Pre-Practicum. This course was developed to aid students in the preparation of searching and applying for the required field experience and practicum

experiences. This course covers resume building, interviewing skills and searching aids for the practicum of their choice. Since spring 2013, the course has had high evaluation marks from students. We have seen a change on our exit surveys - students feel prepared to search for their practicums.

In the LPM and RM track, we made them very specific to the emphasis area. There is no longer any crossover between the two areas, and each area received a new course to provide more opportunities for students. In LPM, we added a secondary programming course, RPLS 451-Program Delivery Methods. RPLS 451 picks up where RPLS 377-Programming Planning, left off and covers programming challenges for specific participant groups. In this course, students work more with social media, public relations, and programming culminating in a large class project. The second course developed for the RM track, RPLS 350-Methods of Interpretation, has been well received by students.

A third course RPLS 490-Cruise Culture was added five years ago to add a study abroad component to our curriculum. This course is not only open to RPLS majors and minors, but to any MSU Mankato student. The course was developed as a four-week in classroom experience culminating with a seven-night cruise. The objectives for the course are as follows:

• Gain an understanding of commercial recreation and tourism on an international level.

• Develop an appreciation of economic impact from tourism dollars on various countries.

• Gain an appreciation for the inter-departmental communication and collaboration necessary to provide services for over 3,000 passengers.

Minnesota State University, Mankato


• Gain a broad understanding of a cruise ship’s operational and managerial components: guest and food services, housekeeping, entertainment, maintenance, point-of-sales, and casino management.

• Observe and learn about program planning and implementation for a large population.

• Learn about the marketing/promotions efforts of a major cruise line.

• Learn and apply knowledge about service quality and guest evaluations.

• Apply knowledge gained about the cruise industry to actual scenarios throughout the cruise.

• Observe and learn about the coral reef development and sustainability for tourism opportunities.

• Participate in commercial recreation excursion on an international platform.

• Experience the Caribbean culture in a variety of contexts.

• Learn about job opportunities within the commercial recreation/tourism/cruise line industry.

The course is offered once an academic year. Since its conception, over 80 students have participated. When asked about their experience, students say the trip changed them and opened their eyes to the world outside of Minnesota.

Other changes include the addition of new faculty, Drs. Burk and Ceurvorst, who use experiential learning in the courses they teach.

Experiential Learning Approaches in Leisure Planning Management

Due to increased demand by employers and students, the RPLA department has provided more opportunities for students to be engaged in hands-on projects. For example, the program planning class now partners with over 10 Mankato, St. Peter, and Lake Crystal organizations for students to plan and implement programs such youth at after-school programs, outings for individuals with disabilities, and activities for aging adults.

In public relations, students have created flyers, helped manage social media account messages, and developed promotional videos for the RPLS department and the Mankato YWCA. We know that the partnerships with the community help foster student learning and help grow awareness to programs and services in the community.

Experiential Learning Approaches in Recreation Resource Management

To develop strong, competent recreation resource management professionals, students need to get more hands-on, experiential learning opportunities in the outdoors and community recreation agencies. Traditionally, natural resource creation management coursework has been taught as a large lecture and exam format. Resource managers today are required to have abilities ranging from outdoor recreation landscapes navigation, identification threats to the recreation ecology, utilization of recreation use impact monitoring tools, and public communication of scientific information and safety standards. Students also need to know how to use tools to assess current resource

conditions (e.g., to remove invasive species from landscapes, identify user conflicts), and identify waypoints where recreation use occurs.

To apply abstract landscape-level issues, students paddled the Minnesota River with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to assess watershed health and recreation access, and discussed management strategies. Students traveled to Minneopa State Park to complete an assessment of use impacts, engage in prairie restoration techniques, and discuss management approaches. Students prepared for the day by packing for all weather conditions, read a map/using GPS technology, read ranger-led interpretation, and completed questions related to wildlife management, prairie restoration and the watershed. This field work will help the DNR develop a new interpretative plan for bison reintroduction. It will enhance public awareness and value in conservation of clean, accessible water resources along the Minnesota River watershed.

Although course field trips have been utilized in the past, these courses integrate training on field tools, monitoring in the outdoors, and focus on a student-led, team project servicing the needs of community agencies. In our wildland recreation management and interpretation methods courses, students completed an off-campus service-learning project with the City of Mankato’s Elk’s Nature Center at Rasmussen Woods and the Southern Minnesota Children’s Museum. Recreation agencies complete projects, and students gain practical experience and develop critical thinking skills needed for today’s professional world.


Water, Wheels, Feet was the theme for the inaugural MRPA indoor triathlon held on December 6, 2015. The Eden Prairie Community Center hosted the event and showcased their state-of-the-art recently expanded aquatics addition. This facility was an ideal venue with the swimming pool, fitness center, and locker rooms all conveniently located for the athletes.

Fifteen men and five women participated with a combination of ages and triathlon back-grounds. Some were competing in their first triathlon or first indoor triathlon, while others were training for the Ironman. The event consisted of a 10-minute swim, 20-minute stationary bike ride, followed by 15-minutes on the treadmill. Three MRPA members partic-

ipated, and Garrett Beck with Burnsville Parks and Recreation won the MRPA member award.

This event would not have been possible without the generous partnerships of Flagship Recreation, Gopher Sport and 2nd Wind Exercise Equipment. “2nd Wind is proud to have partnered with MRPA to support the first annual MRPA Indoor Triathlon,” says Drew Wurst with 2nd Wind Exercise Equipment. “As an MRPA member organization we support all of the fitness and wellness efforts of our fellow members and the entire MRPA organization. We look forward to assisting with future

fitness events with MRPA and parks and recreation organizations throughout Minnesota.”

Sam Sundermeyer with Flagship Recreation states, “Health and wellness is behind everything that we do at Flagship Recreation. We believe in impacting communities and know that in providing opportunities to improve health - a community will become stronger. Sponsoring this event was a privilege and is something we will look to be involved in for years to come.”

Sundermeyer also participated in the triathlon. “From the facility to the organization to the event itself, everything was wonderful,” he states. “This type of event is chaotic in nature; Deb and everyone at MRPA did a great job in providing a beautiful atmosphere to compete in.”

Another participant, Larry Link from Eden Prairie shared, “Thank you for running such a great event it was a lot of fun and I really enjoyed participating. Please thank all of the volunteers, as they played an important role in running the event and also provided a lot of encouragement.”

While planning for this event, Sarah Foley with Shakopee Parks and Recreation and Nate Monahan with Blaine Park and Recreation, shared their ideas and personal experiences of participating in triathlons which helped facilitate the logistics.

Volunteers were instrumental in providing an energizing environment for the athletes while monitoring the distances of the three events. A special thanks goes out to the City of Eden Prairie.

MRPA Organizes First-Ever Indoor TriathlonBy Deb Weinreis, Minnesota Recreation and Park Association

Garrett Beck

E V E N T P A R T N E R S

STRIKESDISASTER

WHEN



Is your agency prepared for an emergency? Many organizations are not as prepared as they would like to be. It can be difficult to know where to begin, and where to go thereafter.

According to the American Red Cross, terrorist attacks have left many concerned about the possibility of future incidents of terrorism in the United States. They have raised uncertainty about what might happen next, increasing stress levels. There are things you can do to prepare for terrorist attacks and reduce the stress that you may feel now and later should another emergency arise.

The American Red Cross has created the American Red Cross Ready Rating™, a first-of-its-kind membership program designed to help businesses, organizations and schools become better prepared for emergencies. Members join this free, self-paced program and complete a 123-point self-assessment of your level of preparedness to reveal areas for improvement.

Finding out what can happen is the first step. Once you have determined the events possible and their potential in your community, it is important that you discuss them with your organization. Develop a disaster plan together.

The American Red Cross recommends the following tips if a terrorism event occurs:

• Remain calm and be patient.

• Follow the advice of local emergency officials.

• Listen to your radio or television for news and instructions.

• If the event occurs near you, check for injuries. Give first aid and get help for seriously injured people.

• Check for damage using a flashlight. Do not light matches or candles or turn on electrical switches. Check for fires, fire hazards and other household hazards. Sniff for gas leaks, starting at the water heater. If you smell gas or suspect a leak, turn off the main gas valve, open windows, and get everyone outside.

• Shut off any other damaged utilities.

By visiting readyrating.org, agencies can learn tips and best practices. Members can also make a commitment to improve their readiness score each year – because preparedness is a continuous process and not a one-time effort. Visit readyrating.org for more information.

Another website that encourages visitors to start an emergency response plan is ready.gov. This is the official website of the Department of Homeland Security. Ready.gov provides a 10-page document to help businesses identify the goals and objectives for their emergency response plan. Agencies can define what the emergency response team is expected to do during an emergency: evacuate employees and visitors, provide first aid, and identify any regulations covered by your plan, such as a fire code.

If you answer “no” to any of the following questions, visit ready.gov to learn how to better prepare your agency.

Emergency Response Planning according to Ready.gov:

BE INFORMED• Do you know what kind of

emergencies might affect your company?

• Do you know what you will do in an emergency situation?

DEVELOP A BUSINESS CONTINUITY PLAN• Do you know which staff, procedures

and equipment are absolutely necessary to keep operating?

• Do you have back-up plans for those operations?

• Do you know what you will do if your building or plant is not accessible?

• Do you know what you will do if your suppliers are impacted by a disaster?

• Are you ready for utility disruptions?

PREPARE YOUR EMERGENCY PLAN• Do you have an evacuation and

shelter-in-place plan?

• Do you have a plan to communicate with employees before, during and after an incident?

• Do you have copies of building and site maps with utilities and emergency routes marked?

• Are your employees trained for medical emergencies?

PRACTICE THE EMERGENCY PLAN• Have you practiced your plan recently?

• Do you practice and coordinate with other businesses in your building or industrial complex?

• Have you reviewed your plans in the last 12 months?

REVIEW INSURANCE COVERAGE• Have you reviewed your insurance

coverage recently to see if you’re covered in a disaster?

SECURE YOUR FACILITY AND EQUIPMENT• Have you secured all the ways people,

products and supplies get into your building?

• Have you conducted a room-by-room walk through to determine what can be strapped down?

IMPROVE CYBER SECURITY• Do you regularly install patches to

your software?

• Have you installed a firewall on your computer?

• Do you regularly update your antivirus software?

Visit ready.gov to learn how to create an emergency response plan.

By Bethani Gerhard, Minnesota Recreation & Park Association

IS YOUR ORGANIZATION PREPARED FOR AN EMERGENCY?


As parks and recreation professionals know, facilitating active lifestyles and vibrant places for the communities we serve is a top priority. These philosophies can be found in the mission statements of agencies worldwide. Look a little further, however, and you will see that parks and recreation departments play a critical role in emergency preparedness and disaster response, which is also a vital part of the mission.

Keeping the community safe during emergencies not only requires intensive training for staff but a coordinated plan and open communication. Saint Paul Parks and Recreation, alongside the Department of Emergency Management and other city departments, uses the city’s Emergency Operations Plan (EOP) to respond to emergency situations and disasters.

The EOP provides management and staff the tools needed to prepare, identify and respond to various levels of emergency situations in order to sustain life and property and to ensure continuity of government and city services. The plan identifies five major situation areas:

• Severe weather (including flooding, storms, tornadoes, etc.)

• National events

• Hazardous material incidents

• Mass casualty incidents

• Acts of terrorism

The following examples provide a look into some of the roles Saint Paul Parks and Recreation plays and how being prepared for emergencies is essential during crisis situations and disasters.

FLOODINGSaint Paul Parks and Recreation is responsible for nearly 17 miles of Mississippi Riverfront property. While the river provides many environmental and economic benefits to the city, it also comes with the risk of flood. There are several facilities, parks, city partners and amenities along the river with the potential of sustaining damage from flood waters. Saint Paul Parks and Recreation has a flood plan in place, in coordination with public works and other city agencies to prepare, handle and assess damages pertaining to properties along the river.

While floods are hard to predict, being prepared ahead of time is one of the most important pieces of the puzzle. “We are in frequent communication with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) which is constantly monitoring data and elevation levels. By the time waters reach flood status we are ready with a plan in place,” said Tom Hagel, park maintenance supervisor at Saint Paul Parks and Recreation. “Having vendors lined up, contracts in place, and materials ready to

go eliminates a lot of potentially added stress on staff and allows us to focus on the challenge at hand.”

In 2014, the Mississippi River in Saint Paul crested at 20.13 feet, which is recorded as the 7th highest water level in history. This was classified as a Major Flood Stage, the highest level on the Flood Category scale. Efforts in 2014 included securing equipment such as sandbags, jersey barriers and signage, managing staff and shift change issues, and, ultimately closing Harriet Island Pavilion, Shepard Road, and several partner locations along the river.

STORMSOver 130,000 public boulevard trees and hundreds of thousands of other trees in public parks, golf courses, and natural areas are managed by the department. After a severe storm hits the city, the Parks and Recreation Forestry Section works to identify and prioritize debris removal areas. In June of 2013, the City of Saint Paul endured a major storm event that lasted for nearly two days and resulted in a month-long clean-up effort, including authorization from the Mayor for private property debris removal to help residents affected by the storm. In total, the storm resulted in thousands of downed or damaged trees, hundreds of uprooted sidewalk panels and a $500,000 price tag for all of the extra time and effort required from forestry staff.

MASS CARE/ HUMAN SHELTERINGIn the case of a major disaster, Saint Paul Parks and Recreation becomes the lead agency for sheltering and supporting Saint Paul residents for the first 48-72 hours until Health and Human Services and the Red Cross are situated and able to take over. Two trailers are stocked and stored with facility generators, cots, blankets, animal cages, tools and related supplies and are mobilized quickly and efficiently during an emergency. To ensure preparedness, staff completed Red Cross Shelter Fundamentals and Shelter Management training and in October 2013, a full scale exercise was held at Oxford Community Center where management and staff worked through

By Clare Cloyd, Saint Paul Parks and Recreation

ARE YOU PREPARED?

City of Saint Paul Parks and Recreation

Emergency Support Trailer


opening, organizing, operating and closing the shelter with actual people and pets occupying the facility.

SNOW REMOVALWe’d be remiss here in Minnesota not to mention snow removal. Saint Paul Parks and Recreation is in charge of snow removal for over 100 miles of sidewalks, pathways, trails and parking lots throughout the city, as

well as contracted sites like Saint Paul Public Schools. Following a significant snowfall, parks and recreation staff, along with public works, work to clear snow from outdoor amenities, parking lots and sidewalks.

These examples provide a brief look into the various situations that parks and recreation departments are tasked with and ready to face in the event of an emergency. The combination

of preparing ahead of time, utilizing a coordinated plan, and maintaining timely and open communication both internally and with the media and public facilitates a successful approach, when called upon, to uphold the mission of keeping the community safe.

For more information on the City of Saint Paul’s Emergency Operations Plan or additional department data, please visit stpaul.gov.

By Sergeant Travis Pobuda, Maple Grove Police Department

In 1999, the term “active shooter” was added to our vocabulary. That year’s incident at Columbine High School has changed the way we think about our safety. In the years since, there has been a continued increase in active shooter violence. As this article is being written, another disturbance dominates the headlines and drives us to question if we are prepared for an incident like this.

In each of our communities, our goal is to provide an open, enjoyable space for citizens to gather. How do we balance that freedom that makes our indoor facilities so attractive with the restrictions needed to keep everyone safe?

Here are some tips to make your indoor facility safe and prepared for an occurrence. HAVE A PLANMany facilities are already well prepared. Emergency planning for a fire, a water emergency at the pool, or equipment failure in a business meeting room is already planned and has perhaps been utilized. Make a plan for an active shooter incident. These events are over very quickly. It is important that the plan is simple and easy for staff to remember. A good reference for what to do is “Run, Hide, and Fight.” This is supported by the Department of Homeland Security. This is great for the individual staff member, but a more detailed plan should be in place for the entire building.

In your plan, create a way to provide notification throughout the building. This notification is only given if and

when the staff member can do it safely. For example - “Code Red Main Entrance” is broadcasted by staff after one staff member observes shots being fired near the entry doors. Staff knows “code red” means some type of active shooter or active violence occurring near the main entrance. This alerts staff to stay away from the main entrance and directs guests away from that area if possible. Some of our buildings are very large. Staff and guests may not even hear what is happening on the other side of it and could walk unknowingly into the middle of the event.

Part of having a plan is to discuss with your staff your expectation of their obligations to the visiting guests. Should they put themselves at risk and only run after all guests have been alerted and are safe? This can be a real dilemma for staff. For example, life guards watching over a pool will struggle with leaving their responsibility even though it may put them in harm’s way. I believe staff should be encouraged to do what they think is right at the time and be reassured that their decision is supported by management.

CONDUCT TRAININGIt is important that whatever plans are in place to react and respond to an event are instructed. Conducting a full scale training session can be time consuming and expensive. While that type of training is invaluable, keep it simple. Start by training the individual. The Department of Homeland Security has an abundance

of free training materials on their website, www.dhs.gov/active-shooter-preparedness . Show the short video “Run, Hide and Fight” at your annual in-service. Then instruct the group. Remind everyone of the procedures that are in place for the building and expectations of staff. Then conduct a “Sand Table Training.” This type of training has been used for hundreds of years. There is no cost. Verbally set up a scenario and have staff discuss what they would do based on their assignments within the building. This visualization of the incident and response is a great way to help train everyone at once.

DEVELOP PARTNERSHIPSThe final, and sometimes overlooked part of being prepared, is developing a partnership with your local police, sheriff, fire and EMS. Since 1999, their training has dramatically changed how to respond to active shooter incidents. They too want to be prepared in the event they have to respond to your facility. Invite them to be part of your in-service training. Lean on their expertise to help guide, train and support you.

CONCLUSIONIt is unfortunate that we must prepare ourselves for these types of events that seem to occur more frequently in recent times. Having a plan, conducting necessary training and developing those partnerships can ensure those who work to provide a great place for community members to visit are prepared for the unthinkable.

PREPARING FOR THE UNTHINKABLE

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2015 marked the 10-year anniversary for the Minnesota Recreation and Park Association’s magazine. The fourth magazine issue featured articles on rainwater gardens that minimize pollutants in Minnesota waters, artificial turf in Woodbury and Plymouth, and cultural influence on signage in Ramsey County.

Terry Gips, president of the Alliance of Sustainability, wrote an article on sustainability and the natural step framework. Tom Redman, Chaska Park and Recreation director, wrote an article about the new construction project: ‘The Lodge,’ an active older adults’ area (AOA) attached to the Chaska Community Center.

minnesota recreation & park magazine winter 2016

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